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At this point I am hoping to start the day on Saturday at 9 a.m. with a quick meet and greet and head out to the trails 15-20 minutes later. I have changed my original plans and will most likely do a longer ride on Saturday with the idea to ride over to Mars Hill (most likely the trail to the top will be closed unfortunately) and then ride up the Border Trail -- this is a pretty cool ride since you ride right on the US/Canadian border with the only thing separating you from crossing the border are a few concrete markers.

On Sunday morning the plan is to strike out around 8-8:30 a.m. and do a bunch of caching and ATVing in the Presque Isle area . . . we'll most likely dip down to Arnold Lake and then skip up to the Washburn area to grab a few caches . . . depending on the timing we may then either run up to New Sweden for a cache or two, head towards Mapleton for a cache or two or simply turn around to get back to camp. My plan is to have folks back at the campground sometime around 12 noon - 1 o'clock to allow folks time to drive home.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

At this point I am hoping to start the day on Saturday at 9 a.m. with a quick meet and greet and head out to the trails 15-20 minutes later. I have changed my original plans and will most likely do a longer ride on Saturday with the idea to ride over to Mars Hill (most likely the trail to the top will be closed unfortunately) and then ride up the Border Trail -- this is a pretty cool ride since you ride right on the US/Canadian border with the only thing separating you from crossing the border are a few concrete markers.

On Sunday morning the plan is to strike out around 8-8:30 a.m. and do a bunch of caching and ATVing in the Presque Isle area . . . we'll most likely dip down to Arnold Lake and then skip up to the Washburn area to grab a few caches . . . depending on the timing we may then either run up to New Sweden for a cache or two, head towards Mapleton for a cache or two or simply turn around to get back to camp. My plan is to have folks back at the campground sometime around 12 noon - 1 o'clock to allow folks time to drive home.

And I thought cachers were nuts - combine that with the ATVs and we have Jake rockin'............

And I thought cachers were nuts - combine that with the ATVs and we have Jake rockin'............

I probably shouldn't mention the fact that the last time I rode on the Border Trail I did the "I'm standing in two countries at once" routine . . . and shortly thereafter a helicopter went buzzing overhead . . . and a few miles later a Border Patrol Humvee went whizzing by us . . . probably just coincidental . . . although my guide at the time said there was a big business in using an old border crossing (where we stopped to take a break) to move illicit contraband . . . namely cigarettes.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

And another update . . . I've been working things out with my local contact and guide . . . Chief Wiggim . . . aka Roger Hewitt . . . a guy with a big heart . . . he once let me, my brother-in-law and my BIL's friend crash at his place when the Crown Park Inn (aka Clown Park Inn) gave away my room one winter and we couldn't find any place to stay until Rog invited us to stay at his place . . . after I called him up around 11:30 p.m.

In any case . . .

Rog is planning on stopping by to introduce himself on Friday night to anyone who is at the campground.

On Saturday, as mentioned, we'll do the meet and greet thing promptly at 9 a.m. . . . which will consist of some greetings, signing of the log and give-aways. By 9:30 a.m. we're hitting the trails with cachers, members of the Thorndike Trail Blazers ATV Club and some locals . . . heading south to Mars Hill where we will be stopping to gas up and at this point you can buy a sandwich at Subway . . . or if you'e packed your own . . . no worries . . . since we're then riding to a Piano Key cache in a nearby park to chow down and rest our trail weary bones.

After lunch it's a ride to Mars Hill with views of the windmills and then up the Border Trail . . . I cannot tell you how much I enjoy this trail . . . it's pretty neat since (if memory serves me right) we pass by an old, abandoned border crossing and you'll see a bunch of US/Canadian boundary markers in the strip that separates the US and Canada.

We then head through Easton . . . and chances are you will smell Easton before you see it since the McCains French Fry plant is there . . . but that's OK, since at this point we're only 45 minutes to an hour away from camp . . . and the plan is to be back by 4 p.m. or so . . . giving folks time to relax, shower, etc.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

Sunday is a short day . . . but a busy one . . . especially if you're a cacher. While the trip on Saturday is not very cache-heavy, this day's trip has a total of 12-15 caches . . . and we're hoping to make it back to camp by 12 noon or 1 p.m. so folks can head home and still have time to shower, unpack, etc.